Rolled material cutting table



- F. A. LANG ROLLED MATERI AL CUTTING TABLE Oct. 14, 1941 Filed May 24, 1941 3nnentor k H. L ng F reds r Patented bet.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,258,898 V ROLLED MATERIAL CUTTING TABLE Frederick A. Lang, Tacoma, Wash.

Application May 24, 1941, Serial No. 395,115 6 Claims. (01. 242-1554) This invention relates to store furniture and especially to means for containing a plurality of rolls of material, such as window screening, of various widths, mesh, or kind, and for cutting any desired length, within the capacity of the device, from a selected roll, without removing the roll from its container.

The objects of my invention are to provide a neat cabinet or counter adapted to hold the several rolls of material and to permit any one of said rolls to be partially unrolled upon a flat surface on which a measuring scale is marked, and wherein the edge of said flat surface forms a guide for the cutting instrument. Further objects are to provide an apparatus which saves much time and labor in its operation over former methods, and whichdoes not require that the operator lift the heavy rolls.

I attain these and other objects by the devices and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved cutting tabl showing the sliding cutting table top slid to the left to uncover the fifth roll from the right and showing a portion of the screening from the said roll lying on said cutting table top a specified length, and the edge of the table top acting as a guide for the cutting instrument cutting the fabric; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing a part thereof in section; Fig. 3 is an end view thereof; and Fig. 4 is a detail section showing the mounting of the sliding table top in the cabinet frame. I

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

One of the problems of the usual hardware store is the convenient disposal of the many rolls of screening which it is necessary to keep available for immediate use during certain seasons of the year and also, at the same time, to keep a portion of the floor clear for the unrolling of any of the said rolls, in order to cut therefrom a measured part. Also it is eminently unhandy to have to lift said heavy roll from its container and lay it on the floor, and to-measure therefrom the required portion, and difficult to cut said portion off along a line at right angles to its side edge. All of these objections to the usual method of handling this materialhave been successfully overcome by my improved cutting table.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that the cabinet comprises a base frame having a fixed top board I, side boards 2 and end boards 3.

The top board I is provided with a series of slots I extending across it, at right-angles to the axis of the table. The side boards 2 extend up above the level of the top board I, on each side, and are provided with grooves 5 on their inward edges and may be provided with metal strips 6 above said grooves 5.

A series of rectangular holes I are made in one or both of the side boards 2 immediately below the level ofthe top board I. A lower board 8, substantially coextensive with the top board I, is secured across the table frame and is positioned parallel with the table top board I and at a level below the lower edges of the holes I. A series of vertical partitions 9 extend between the lower board 8 and the top board I, across the table, and positioned between the holes I, thus dividing the space into a series of compartments under a the top board, each of said compartments communicating directly with one of said holes 1. Each such compartment may be divided into two parts by means of cross partitions ID, if so desired.

The above-mentioned slots 4 in the top board I, are each alined with the inner side of the corresponding partition 9 in such manner as to form a'continuous surface therewith. A thin sheet metal U-shaped holder II is secured in each of the above-described compartments and has its end extending up into the corresponding slot 4, each such holder II being adapted to receive a roll I2 of wire netting or other rolled material; said roll I2 being inserted into the compartment through the hole I in the side board 2.

It will be observed that the slots 4, in the top board I, to the right of the longitudinal center of the cabinet, as viewed in Fig. 2, are on the right-hand side of the corresponding compartments and that those to the left of the said center are positioned on the left side of their corresponding compartments.

A sliding cutting table I3 is mounted above the fixed board I, with its edges mounted in the above-described longitudinal grooves 5 (Fig. 4), and is adapted to slide freely therealong in either direction. The ends I4 of the cutting table I3 form the guides for the cutting instrument and are at right-angles to its side edges and may be lined with a metal protecting strip I5 to prevent the wear of said edges by the screening I2 as it is pulled over its edge and by the cutting instrument used for cutting the screening.

A pair of reversed measuring scales l6 and I! are inset into the surface of the cutting table I3, the scale I6 marking distances from the left while the scale I 1 marks distances from the right.

A series of additional compartments I8 may be made in either end wall 3 (Figs, 2 and 3) adapted to receive rolls of screening of such kinds as are not in general demand or are longer than the width of the table, and an extension holder I 9 may be secured above such compartments I8 and positioned in line with the above described compartments of the cabinet, said holder being bracedxby the brackets 20. The ends of the holder I9 are entirely open so as to permit a long roll to be placed'therein, one or both its ends extending beyond the ends of the holder I9.

A cover 2| for said holder [9 is provided, said cover being hinged at 22 to open upward in order to permit the ready insertion or removal of such a long roll therein.

In cases where the cabinet is of unusual length it is usually diflicult to provide sufficient free space beyond each end of the cabinet to permit the long table l3 to be slid out from the ends one-half its length, in which case lprovide. one, or more slots 23 (one only is shown) in the said, table top l3, the unrolled screening being passed up through one of the said slots, 23 instead; of over the end edge of the table, as above described,

thus making it unnecessary to slide the table I3 as far as would be necessary if such slots 23 were not provided.

My abovedescribed cutting table is operated,

in the following manner: When a certain width of screening is desired by at customer, for instance the roll I21 in the fifth compartment from the right-hand end of the cabinet, the sliding cutting table I3 is slid to the left until its right edge l5 hasrpassed from over the slot 4 connecting to the said compartment; then the roll [2, therein is given a slight rotary motion in the compartment, by inserting the hand through the corresponding hole I, to bring its end up through the slot 4; this end is then pulled, unrolling the said roll [2, and the unrolled screening is laid upon the cutting table l3 until it reaches the measure on the scale I1 corresponding to the customers order. As the unrolledportion of the screening lies upon the table [3-, the end thereof adjacent to slot drnaturally bulges upward slight-- 1 as seen in Fig. 2, andithe cuttingtool is slipped thereunder andthen to the reenforced edge I75; the unrolled length is then firmly held by one hand with its longitudinal edge against the. edge,

of the metal strip 6 and the cutting tool isguided by-the metal edge l5, to cut the measured length of screening desired. The cut off portion may then be rolled and delivered to the customer, the roll l2- being given a slight turn to bring itsnew end back into the passage 4.

When one of the rollsin the end compartments I8 is to be cut, the cover- 2| is turned upward on its hinges 22, to open the extension holder, [9,

and then the said roll is removed from its compartment I8 and laid in the extension holder l9.

It is then drawn out therefrom to lie on the cut- In the season when there is. substantially no screening sold, the top board l3 of the cabinet, may be used as a display counter for theefi'ective display of other goodsbeing sold. 7

Thus it will be seen that I have invented. a. very neat cabinet in whichsuch rolledmaterial may. be held in readiness for use andwhich is,

so simple in operation thatmuch time and labor'is saved over the usual method of operation. It is to be understood that many changesmay be made; in the details of: construction of: my

improved cabinet, without; departing from the spirit of my invention as outlined in the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention, what Iclaim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1'. In arolled-material cutting table, the combination of a holding cabinet; a compartment therein, extending transversely thereof, adapted to hold a roll of material, and opening through the side of the cabinet; a passage through the top side of the cabinet and leading from said compartment, and alined with one side thereof; and a sliding: table mounted on said cabinet and above the top side thereof, and adapted to be slid therealong to expose the open end of said passage, whereby a roll of material held in said compartment may be partially unrolled therefrom to pass through said passage and to lie a measured distance upon said sliding table.

2. A1 cutting table as set forth in claim 1, wherein the end edge of said sliding table is at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of said cabinet, and; is reenforced with metal, and is adapted-to guide the cutting tool along the line at said measured distance from the unrolled end,

saidcabinet, to, expose the open end of any of said; passages, whereby a selected roll of material may be partially unrolled in said compartment and passed through said passage, and a measured length thereof laid on said sliding table, and whereby the edge of said slidingtableforms a guide for a cutting tool.

4. A- cutting table as set forth in claim 3, together with metal U-shaped holders, secured in said compartments and adapted to support therolls therein, and positioned to guide the end of the rollupwardthrough said passage.

5; In a rolledmaterial cutting table, the combination of a holding cabinet; a plurality of compartments therein, each adapted to contain a,

single roll of material, and positioned side byside; a sliding table mounted on said cabinet,

and adapted to he slid in either direction over said compartments, whereby one or the other of its two ends will expose any of the said compartments; metal reenforcement on both ends of said,

sliding table; and, a pair of opposed measuring scales inset in said sliding table, one said scale measuring from each end of said table, whereby a selected'roll may be partially unrolled within its compartment and laid on said, table a measured length from the edge of the table over which said unrolled material has been passed, and:

whereby said edge of the table is adapted to guide the cuttingvtool at said measured distance from the unrolled end of said roll.

6. In a-rolled material cutting table, the come binationof a holding cabinet of extended length; a plurality of compartments therein, each adapted'to contain a single roll of material, and

positioned side by side; a sliding table, coextensive with said cabinet and mounted thereon, and

adaptedto be slid in either direction over said compartmentsla slot through said: sliding table.

intermediate its ends, whereby any of said compartments may be exposed either by said slot or by either end ofsaid sliding table, and whereby, aroll of material in suchcompartment may be partially unrolled therefrom to pass above said table to lie a measured length upon said sliding table.

FREDERICK A. LANG. 

